Fire risk assessments, door inspections and advice.

Yes. Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, a fire risk assessment is a legal requirement for almost all non-domestic premises in England and Wales, including the common parts of blocks of flats and HMOs. The responsible person must carry one out, keep it up to date and, since October 2023, record the full assessment in writing.

The responsible person is the employer, owner, landlord, managing agent or anyone else with control of the premises. Where there is more than one, they must cooperate and coordinate. The responsible person keeps the legal duty even when the assessment itself is carried out by a competent assessor.

The responsible person can carry out the assessment for simple, low-risk premises. For anything beyond that, and certainly for higher-risk or complex buildings, a competent professional assessor is strongly advised. Every Obelisk fire risk assessment is carried out by an NFRAR Advanced Level registered assessor.

For blocks of flats, the LGA guidance describes four types. Type 1 is a non-destructive check of the common parts and is the usual starting point. Type 2 adds destructive inspection of the common parts. Types 3 and 4 also look inside a sample of flats, non-destructively and destructively. For other premises the scope is agreed around the building and how it is used. If you are not sure, tell us about the building and we will recommend the right scope.

It depends on the size and complexity of the premises, the type of assessment needed and how many buildings are involved. Obelisk gives you a fixed fee in writing for your specific premises before any visit is booked, so you know exactly what you are paying for.

It must be kept under regular review and updated whenever there is a significant change to the building, its use or its occupants, or after a fire or near miss. Many organisations review annually as a routine backstop, and we will recommend a review date in your report based on the risk.

The fire and rescue authority can serve an enforcement or prohibition notice, and serious failings can lead to prosecution, unlimited fines and, in the worst cases, a prison sentence. A current fire risk assessment by a competent assessor is both a legal duty and your main line of defence.

It depends on the size and complexity of the premises. We will confirm the timescale when we quote, so you know when to expect the written report and action plan.

We are based in Mansfield and work nationwide, with a focus on the East Midlands and surrounding areas, including Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Lincolnshire and South Yorkshire.